Episode 33: Carrots, Sticks, and Rituals

About this episode

This episode discusses the best ways to fight corruption through the lenses of Confucian and Legalist philosophies, featuring insights from Professor Daniel Bell.

What's the best way to fight corruption: harsh laws and fear of punishment or rituals and moral transformation? In this episode we discuss a deep disagreement that takes its inspiration from the political philosophies of the Confucian philosopher Xunzi and the Legalist philosopher Han Feizi. We are also happily joined by Professor Daniel Bell of the University of Hong Kong, one of the world's leading experts in Chinese political thought. Bell reimagines the views of Xunzi and Han Feizi in his...

People in this episode

Hosts: Richard Kim, Justin Tiwald

Guest: Professor Daniel Bell

Topics covered

• corruption
• political philosophy
• Confucianism
• Legalism
• moral transformation
• rituals

Keywords

• corruption
• Xunzi
• Han Feizi
• political thought
• moral transformation
• rituals
• Chinese philosophy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Hong Kong

More episodes of This Is The Way: Chinese Philosophy Podcast

• Episode 34: Deference and Autonomy in Confucian Ethics · May 19, 2026 · 1h 19m
• Episode 32: Music Has in It neither Grief nor Joy · March 13, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Episode 31: The Great Music Debate -- Mohists vs. Classical Confucians · February 8, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Episode 30: Confucianism and Reverential Reading · January 18, 2026 · 1h 26m
• Episode 29: Shen Dao on Law · December 25, 2025 · 1h 35m
• Episode 28: Mencius Against Mohist Impartialism · November 27, 2025 · 1h 26m